Materials / Compare

Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Stainless Steel 303

Compare Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Stainless Steel 303 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Alumina 96%Sintered ceramic (pressed and fired)
Stainless Steel 303Wrought
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot given (tensile used)275MPasourceOutokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse)
Ultimate tensile strength221MPasourcetypical tensile strength, 25 °C (ACMA Test #4)585MPasourceOutokumpu typical
Compressive strength2,068MPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C773)not sourced
Flexural strength358MPasourceflexural strength (MOR), 20 °C (ASTM-F417)not sourced
Elongation at breaknot sourced35%sourceOutokumpu typical, A5
Young's modulus (stiffness)303GPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)200GPasourceat RT (Table 12)
Density3,720kg/m³sourcetypical (ASTM-C20)7,900kg/m³sourceat RT
Strength to weight59.4kN·m/kg1.71x higher34.8kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight81.5MN·m/kg3.22x higher25.3MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.21sourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels)
Shear modulus125GPa1.63x stiffer in shear76.9GPa
Bulk modulus174GPa167GPa
Speed of sound9,025m/s5,032m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity24.7W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C408)15W/m·Ksourceat RT
Thermal expansion8.2µm/m·Ksourcemean, 25-1000 °C (ASTM-C372)16µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing41µm growth1.95x less80µm growth
Specific heat880J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 100 °C (ASTM-E1269)500J/kg·Ksourceat RT
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)7.55mm²/s1.99x faster3.8mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance1,736W/m1.92x more resistant902W/m
Max service temperaturenot sourced871°Csourcecontinuous, scaling limit
Values forCoorsTek AD-96, nominal 96% Al2O3 sintered alumina, typical values; CoorsTek "Ceramic Seal Material Properties" (© 2018, 01899 F). AD-96 is the general 96% grade, not the ADS-96R substrate grade.1.4305 / UNS S30300, Outokumpu typical values (hot rolled, solution annealed) from 'Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards'; max service from Carpenter CarTech 303 datasheet

Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Is Ceramic Alumina 96% stronger than Stainless Steel 303?

Stainless Steel 303 is stronger: its yield strength is 275 MPa against tensile strength 221 MPa for Ceramic Alumina 96% (24%).

Which is lighter, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 303?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is lighter: 3,720 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 303.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 303?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stiffer: Young's modulus 303 GPa against 200 GPa for Stainless Steel 303, so the same part in Ceramic Alumina 96% deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 303?

For the same stiffness or strength: Ceramic Alumina 96% is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must beCeramic Alumina 96%Stainless Steel 303
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter3.22x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter2.61x heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter2.44x heavier
Strong rod or tielighter1.71x heavier
Strong beamlighter1.84x heavier
Strong panel or platelighter1.9x heavier

For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).

Which conducts heat better, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 303?

Ceramic Alumina 96% conducts heat better: 24.7 W/m·K against 15 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 303.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Alumina 96% expands less: 8.2 µm/m·K against 16 µm/m·K for Stainless Steel 303.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Stainless Steel 303
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Stainless Steel 303
Strength against density

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